I’ve received a couple of messages from Georgelle in Naples, Florida, and she would like your opinions – please send them to me. Here’s the situation:
In my opinion, and the way the OMs play the game, once a tile is called and/or down on the table, it is considered to be played and can’t be taken back. Even though you miscalled the tile, and corrected on the miscall, the North tile had to stay as your discard. That tile was played.
As far as paying for yourself and for the other two players, that probably is the right thing to do according to tournament rules. However, table rules for each game are different. The OMs table rules don’t penalize the player who incorrectly called out a tile so we would never make you pay for the other players. But those are our table rules. Your group clearly plays with tournament rules for this particular mistake. Actually, I believe with tournament rules that you not only would have had to pay for the other players but you also would have been called dead so, in that respect, you got off easy (even though the game ended right then with a Mah Jongg).
The last thing I have to say is that you shouldn’t think you did a stupid thing. Mistakes happen. And, as you pointed out, you were talking, not paying attention…and probably having a lot of fun. And that is the most important thing – to have fun while playing Mah Jongg!
I can’t wait to see what other players have to say when they weigh in on this question!
Mah Jongg and Me 
Per the NMJL rules,” a tile cannot be claimed until correctly named. Correctly named tile may then be called for an exposure or MJ, however if MJ is called with the incorrectly named tile, the game ceases. Then, miscalled pays claimant Four times the value of the hand. Others do not pay. ”
That is only fair, as you now know what tile player needs for MJ. It apparently doesn’t matter that player picked wrong tile to discard. It is what she called when she discarded it. Our game has table rules too, but never go against official rules like that.
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Alyce – thank you so much for this clarification!
Best,
Ann
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It sounds like a very rigid group the writer is playing with. If the game is not fun, then I’d hesitate to call it a game.
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My sentiments exactly.
Ann
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Doesn’t seem like a very friendly group.
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I agree. That’s why I posted that particular picture on today’s blog!
Ann
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Glad I don’t play with with group! Seriously…..this is a game!😩
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I agree! And that’s why I said that having fun while playing Mah Jongg is what it should be all about!!
Ann
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Once again – I love your blog Ann. Reading about little differences certainly increases my excitement for this wonderful game. When issues like this are raised, it reminds me of the challenges of the rules and hopefully makes me a better player…..thanks to you!
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What a wonderful message from you – thank you so much!!!
Ann xxo
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I agree. Once the tile is down on the table, it’s down. However, it can’t be called until it is correctly named. That happens when someone says…”hey, that’s not a soap!” Then the discarder names it correctly. At some tournaments the miscaller has a point penalty and the person who needs the N gets Mah Jongg. In a home game…we just award the caller MJ and the discarder pays double as in all games when a person doesn’t pick the winning tile himself.
As for paying for the other players…that is usually a table rule that has to do with the number of exposures the winner had when the last tile for Mah Jongg was thrown.
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To add to my last response. There are actually two scenarios with a miscalled tile: In Georgelle’s game once the tile ( N called a “soap”) is named correctly the game ceases because the player can now take the correctly named N for her Mah Jongg. Georgelle pays double because she threw the winning tile and others pay the face value on the card. No harm is done. Georgelle names the tile correctly and the player gets her Mah Jongg.
In the second scenario, if a player needed a Soap for Mah Jongg and the North tile was incorrectly called “soap” the game must cease. Now you know what tile is needed for Mah Jongg….but that wasn’t the tile thrown. The game stops and Georgelle pays 4 times the value of the card.
You can’t make Mah Jongg with the wrong tile, but the game can’t continue because everyone knows what tile is needed for the player to win. Hence the penalty to the miscaller.
We all understand that Mah Jongg is a game we play for fun…and we do have fun! But standardized rules make it fair for everyone. And when things are fair, everyone has an equal chance of having fun!
Barbara and Susan
The Mah Jongg Doctors
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Thank you so much for these great comments – it really makes everything clear. But what is most important is exactly what you have written – Mah Jongg is a game we play for FUN!
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Not a stupid move at all. We have 45 people in our group and I can’t think of one who has not miscalled a tile at one point or another through the years. It just happens.
Those are definitely tournament rules they are playing by and that does seem a bit harsh for a friendly game. But I can see the other side too since someone was pretty excited to get their Mahj tile only to see it potentially go away.
The important thing is for it to remain a friendly game where everyone feels OK when they do make a mistake like that.
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Not a stupid move at all. We have 45 people in our group and I can’t think of one who has not miscalled a tile at one point or another through the years. It just happens.
Those are definitely tournament rules they are playing by and that does seem a bit harsh for a friendly game. But I can see the other side too since someone was pretty excited to get their Mahj tile only to see it potentially go away.
The important thing is for it to remain a friendly game where everyone feels OK when they do make a mistake like that.
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